Mountain Life Church/Life Pack/August 17-18, 2013

God’s Armor

God’s ArmorSermon NotesAugust 17-18, 2013

I. Big Boy StuffA. In Spiritual warfare:

1. Everyone is on the front lines2. The stakes are human lives

B. The need for tenacity, passion, and discipline1. Learning to ratchet up tenacity and passion

★ I Peter 1: 13★ I Peter 5: 8

2. Passion★ Comes as a result of

receiving grace★ Pride keeps us from

receiving grace

3. Discipline★ A disciple is by definition, disciplined★ A convert is not disciplined, and therefore, NOT a

disciple★ God is not against effort, He is against earning

(Dallas Willard)★ Discipline comes from a transformed heart and

difficult times★ Rejecting opulence and entitlement

II. The Belt of TruthA. Subjective, not objective, truth

1. Faith comes from seeing God, not from scientific reason2. God desires to prove Himself to me

B. The first of all pieces of the armor1. Do I truly believe that the Bible is God’s word TO ME?2. Have I come to a place of knowing that He truly loves me

and that He never lies?

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Table TalkTeens

Read Ephesians 6:13-15

Question One:Describe why it is important for Christians to take up the whole armor of God.

Question Two:At the end of verse 13 and the beginning of verse 14, Paul uses the word “stand” twice.

Describe the meaning of “stand” in both passages.

Question Three:Identify the four pieces of spiritual armor that Paul describes in verses 14-16.Also, describe the purpose of each armor.

 The Belt of Truth: Truth is considered crucial by Paul because a dishonest Christian cannot hope to withstand the evil one.  The truth referred to here is integrity, a life of practical truthfulness and honesty. The Breastplate of Righteousness: The righteousness that the breastplate represents is not the righteousness of Christ, which all believers possess, but the practical righteous character and deeds of believers.  The breastplate of righteousness also guards a believer’s heart against the assaults of the devil. Shod Your Feet: Paul used this image to represent the preparation of the gospel of peace.  This means that the gospel is the firm foundation on which Christians are to stand on to give him peace in the midst of battle. The Shield of Faith: The purpose of the shield is to cover the whole armor and protect Christians against all the attacks from Satan.  Satan cannot penetrate the shield of believers who places his or her faith in God.

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III.The Breastplate of RighteousnessA. Covers the heart

1. I must protect my heart with God’s righteousness2. Without comprehending and apprehending God’s

righteousness:★ I will work out of law, “Got To” and “Ought to.”★ Words will wound me significantly★ Lies will stick and I will believe them

B. The Secret to fearlessness (Proverbs 28: 1)

C. I am NOT wearing the breastplate:1. If I walk in fear2. If I walk in control and manipulation3. If I am timid4. If I am arrogant or full of self pity & self hatred5. If I think God accepts me because of what I do6. If I’m holding onto bitterness7. If I’m unwilling to look honestly at my sins and failures

IV.The Shoes of PreparationA. My testimony

1. I must have one in order to even desire to be a messenger2. If I do not have a testimony, then God has not saved me3. I need to take time to prepare my testimony4. The ABC’s of Testimony prep:

★ A = Audible. Speak as if the person furthest from you is the one you are personally addressing.

★ B = Brief. Keep the story short and to the point★ C = Christ Centered. Share how your life has been

transformed by Jesus.

B. The Gospel1. Do I understand the Gospel well enough to share it?

★ Our sin, Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection★ Our need to receive, not earn.

2. Holy Spirit led★ I don’t have to close the deal★ Learning to know when people are ready★ I don’t have to be a salesman

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Life Group Questions for August 17-18, 2013

Message =God’s ArmorIce  Breaker:        Tell  about  a  test  or  project  in  school  that  you  were  not  prepared  for  and  how  it  affected  you.

Read  Ephesians  6:  10-­‐‑15.

1. Tell  what  you  observe  about  this  passage.

2. When  we  look  at  the  belt  of  truth,  we  must  ask  ourselves  if  we  have  come  to  a  place  where  we  truly  believe  that  the  Bible  is  true  and  that  it  is  God’s  word.    Where  are  you  in  this  process?    Do  you  believe  wholeheartedly  that  the  Bible  is  God’s  word  FOR  YOU?

3. The  breastplate  of  righteousness  covers  the  heart.    Why  do  you  think  we  need  God’s  righteousness  to  cover  our  heart?

4. Have  you  come  to  a  place  where  you  see  yourself  in  God’s  righteousness  or  do  you  still  struggle  to  earn  His  love?    

5. The  shoes  of  preparation  speak  to  spending  time  preparing  a  message  for  those  who  don’t  know  Jesus.    Have  you  come  to  a  place  in  your  life  where  you  are  excited  to  tell  others  about  what  God  has  done  in  your  life?    Please  explain.

6. Have  two  people  share  their  testimony  in  less  than  two  minutes  each.

7. Pray  for  one  another.

Table TalkElementaryTopic - Adversity

Day 1 - What does the word adversity mean? You may not be familiar with this word. A more kid-friendly term would be "facing a difficult/challenging" situation. Are you currently experiencing any "adversity" in your life? Talk about it. What makes this situation so difficult. Why do you think God allows these types of situations into your life?

Day 2 - Read James 1:2-4. How does the Word tell us we should look at facing trials (difficulties) in our life? We are to consider it pure _ _ _! Why do you think we should consider it pure joy when we face trials? I want you to think about a difficult time that you have faced in the past. How did it turn out? Did you learn any life lessons from the situation(s)?

Day 3 - Do this object lesson with your family: Stand up with the goal of jumping as high as you can. Maybe have a goal on the wall or doorway or something to measure how high to jump. In the first situation, do not bend your knees before you jump – not even a little! So basically you can only go on your tiptoes. You just can’t propel yourself into their air without bending your knees first. Next bend your knees just a little bit and jump again and notice how much higher you can jump; finally jump as high as you possibly can by bending as much as you desire. The only way to reach and jump high is to bend low first. So when we are brought low with trials or difficulties, we must remember that it takes that bending low to propel us higher. If we are brought low with trials, then we can build sufficient faith and trust in God so He can lift us to a higher spiritual place. (*Adapted from http://objectlessons.us/blog.)

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Table TalkPreschool & Nursery

Ephesians 6:13-15, 1 Peter 3:15 Day 1: Read Ephesians 6:13-15Ask your children if they can tell you what a belt is and what it does. The Belt of Truth in the Armor of God is where we store all of our knowledge of God. We have to learn to put on the Belt of Truth every day by learning new things about God and changing our attitudes and how we think about life and other people. Spend some time talking about some of the knowledge you and your family have about God.  Discuss ways you can all gain more knowledge of God. Day 2: Read Ephesians 6:14-15As a family, discuss what it means to be righteous.  When we try to be righteous it means we are trying to be right with God, following Him, and not letting sin into our hearts. Ask which piece of God’s Armor protects our hearts.  The Breastplate of Righteousness helps us to protect our hearts from sin.  Pray, as a family, for God to help you do your best and to know what is right.       Memory Verse:“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”  - Ephesians 6:11 Day 3: Read Ephesians 6:14-15 and 1 Peter 3:15Share some ideas on why the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace are an important piece in the Armor of God.  If we believe in Jesus and ask Him to forgive us of our sins, then we can live a peaceful life.  We should prepare our feet with this so we can go out and share Jesus with others.  Talk about some ways you can share your love of Jesus with others.  Activity: Each family member removes their shoes and places them in a pile across the room.  Everyone go to the other side and when someone says “Go” then everyone races, carefully, over to the shoes and grabs a pair of someone else’s shoes and then finds that person and puts their shoes back onto their correct feet.  Take turns putting each other’s shoes onto one another.  Talk about how, in life, we should help others too and not just look out for ourselves.  

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Personal Devotion PagesThe following pages are designed to help you enjoy a regular time alone with God. We have divided up the curriculum to help us grow wherever we are at in our relationship with God and in our knowledge of His Kingdom.

LEVELS: Since we are a Colorado church, we use skiing imagery to communicate the different levels of intensity and time involved in relating to God.

BEGINNER: If you are new in your relationship with God, we encourage you to try the exercises under this symbol:

INTERMEDIATE: If you have walked with God for some time and would like a little more challenge and more time involvement, try the exercises under this symbol:

ADVANCED: These exercises are for people who have walked with God for some time and display maturity in their relationship with Him.

These exercises provide a practical way to encounter God and His truth on a regular basis. There are no rules here. Please don’t hurry through the process. Slow meditation and memorization seems to soak in better than cramming.

Enjoy!

Day One1. Take  some  time  to  praise  the  Lord  for  who  He  is  and  enjoy  

thanking  Him  for  what  He  has  done  in  your  life  lately.

2. Meditate  on  Ephesians  6:  10-­‐‑15.

3. Take  a  moment  to  think  about  the  seriousness  of  the  war  for  human  souls.    Do  you  think  you  have  taken  the  war  seriously?    Have  you  become  sold  out  to  the  purposes  of  God?    

Memorize  II  Corinthians  10:  3-­‐‑4.

Memorize  II  Corinthians  10:  3-­‐‑5.

Memorize  II  Corinthians  10:  3-­‐‑5,  Psalm  9:6

...and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE...

~Ephesians 6:15, NAS

Biblical writers attach the bringing of good news to the feet quite often. Earlier, Isaiah wrote this:   

How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news,

Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness,

Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

(Isaiah 52:7)

A messenger was known in the ancient world as one with swift and beautiful feet. Isaiah tells us that the messenger who brings the good news of the victorious, redeeming God has beautiful and gracious character.

As a redeemed, righteous child of the living God, I am also a messenger. My message must be clear and concise, helping the poor in spirit to comprehend the beautiful message of salvation. Do I have a clear understanding of what it means to be saved? More importantly, has God done such amazing things in my life that I want others to get what I got?

I will never be a good messenger until I’ve experienced the message for myself. Until then, I’m just a hireling, passing on a message that has no relevance for myself. I’m a salesman who doesn’t believe in my product.

Each of us must take time to prepare a testimony of what God did in us. We must take preparation time to be able to give a clear message of the saving power of God.

Day Five

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Day Five1. Take  some  time  to  praise  the  Lord  for  who  He  is  and  enjoy  

thanking  Him  for  what  He  has  done  in  your  life  lately.  

2. Read  Psalm  27  in  light  of  spiritual  warfare.

3. Ask  God  to  begin  showing  you  how  to  love  people  who  are  difficult  for  you  to  love.    Write  their  names  here  and  begin  to  pray  for  them.

4. Finish  your  Bible  memorization  today.

Day OneTherefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH...

~Ephesians 6:13, 14, NASPaul implores believers to take up the whole armor of God because everyone in the church is in the front lines. Paul’s encouragement is for every believer, not just for the passionate zealots. Think about it. We can never think we are on leave from the battle, or deduce that we are not involved in Christianity enough to be in the fray. Every believer must understand that there is a war going on and the steaks are extremely high. This war has grown up significance to it. If we play around with it, we’ll get hurt, or even maimed. If we go out without preparation and without wearing our armor, we will be routed. I grew up in 9th grade. It was during my 9th grade football season that I learned that adulthood required focus, tenacity, drivenness, and a level of hard work I had never experienced or understood. My coaches set the bar high and if I was ever going to play in a game, I was going to have to ratchet up the tenacity and work ethic. I gradually understood that pain was my friend and tenacity brought about great reward. If I ever wish to experience the victorious life, I must push into things that are not fun or easy. The word disciple is based on the noun discipline. Without a disciplined life, I will not be a disciple of Jesus. I can be a convert or a seeker without any skin in the game, but if I wish to be a disciple, I must live a profoundly disciplined life. An undisciplined army is a defeated army. The rewards of discipline are numerous and bring more delight than any endorphin rush we’ve ever experienced. Paul will later tell Timothy that God has not given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self discipline (I Timothy 1: 7, emphasis mine)! The very nature of the Holy Ghost is self discipline!Father, I submit to Your discipline today. I desperately desire to be a disciplined disciple!

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Day Two1. Take  some  time  to  praise  the  Lord  for  who  He  is  and  enjoy  

thanking  Him  for  what  He  has  done  in  your  life  lately.  

2. Meditate  on  Proverbs  28:  1

3. Take  a  few  minutes  to  pray  for  people  that  have  hurt  you  in  the  past.    Ask  God  to  bless  them  and  give  them  peace,  reconciliation  with  Himself  and  with  others.

4. Take  time  to  thank  God  for  giving  you  His  righteousness.    Thank  Him  that  He  does  not  look  at  you  through  your  own  righteousness,  but  through  the  right  standing  of  Jesus.        

5. Continue  memorizing  and  meditating  on  the  scriptures  for  this  week.

Day Four...and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,

~Ephesians 6:14, NAS

Satan attacks my heart continually. People who are hurting and who are immature will say things that the enemy will use to pierce my heart. If I don’t remember the breastplate of righteousness, I will find myself doubting myself and forgetting that ALL of my righteousness is in Christ.

I remember when we started Mountain Life Church I had more than one person attack my integrity. I don’t think I have ever suffered as much as I did through those times. People attacked me because they misunderstood some very simple things and then proceeded to assume that my heart was evil.

Well, to be frank, my heart is a mess apart from Christ. However, He has promised me that He’ll never leave me or forsake me, so therefore, He lives in me and makes me righteous before Him - all the time! Even when I mess up, or when I operate with wrong motives, I stand righteous before God!!! When someone attacks me, I must own my own sin, repent of it, and then thank God that He has given me His righteousness. My righteousness before God is not dependent on my performance, it’s based on Jesus’ performance, which was spotless.

So, when people say things that hurt me and possibly even assassinate my character, I must remember that I must see if there is ANY TRUTH in what they say. Then I must thank Jesus that His righteousness is my righteousness. I thank Him that, though I fail, He never will.

Jesus, thank You for welcoming me into Your presence, warts and all. thank You for showing me my sin and thank You even more that You’ve already forgiven me through the cross!

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Day TwoTherefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH...

~ Ephesians 6:13, 14, NAS

The first item in the armor of God is the belt of truth. Commentator Charles Hodge tells us this about the belt: By truth, here is not to be understood divine truth as objectively revealed, i. e. the word of God; for that is mentioned in the following verse as the sword. Nor does it mean sincerity of mind, for that is a natural virtue, and does not belong to the armor of God; which according to the context consists of supernatural gifts and graces. But it means truth subjectively considered; that is, the knowledge and belief of the truth. This is the first and indispensable qualification for a Christian soldier.

Hodge tells us that before we can run to the battle and nimbly perry and spin, we must first gird up our loins with a belief of the truth. In ancient times, men wore long flowing robes with a belt cinched about the waist. When they needed to work, run, or go to battle, they pulled up the long robe and doubled it over, cinching it with the belt. This kept the legs free to operate unencumbered.

My first concern is to come to a place where I truly believe in the truth of God. This is not an objective, empirically proved belief. As Hodge says it, it’s a practical, subjective belief that what God says, I can trust implicitly.

God, I need you to prove to me that I can trust Your word. Will you begin to do a work in me where I am absolutely confident that Your word is reliable and true?

Day Four1. Take  some  time  to  praise  the  Lord  for  who  He  is  and  enjoy  

thanking  Him  for  what  He  has  done  in  your  life  lately.    

2. Meditate  on  Psalm  91.    Think  of  spiritual  warfare  as  you  read.  

3. Pray  family  members  who  are  under  the  rule  of  Satan.

4. Continue  meditating  on  and  memorizing  the  scripture  for  this  week.

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Day Three Day Three1. Take  some  time  to  praise  the  Lord  for  who  He  is  and  enjoy  

thanking  Him  for  what  He  has  done  in  your  life  lately.    

2. Read  Psalm  18.    Think  about  spiritual  warfare  as  you  read.

3. Bring  at  least  three  friends  or  loved  ones  to  the  Lord  and  ask  Him  to  bring  them  to  repentance  and  faith.    Ask  Him  to  show  you  how  you  can  boldly  love  them  and  speak  the  words  of  Jesus  into  their  lives.      

 4. Continue  meditating  on  and  memorizing  the  scripture  for  this  

week.

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Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,

~Ephesians 6:14, NAS

Notice the tense of the verbs in this sentence. Stand firm commands us from the present tense. It implies that standing firm is a continual action. Having girded and having put on are the next two verbs, and they are in the perfect tense, implying that the action was done in the past, but the results remain. All of this together means that in order for me to stand firm today, I must have already put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness over the last several days!

The armor is not something suddenly put on. It’s something I do in preparation for battle. Could you imagine a Roman soldier running to the battle and at the same time trying to put on his armor? The armor must be put on in preparation for battle, which means I discipline myself to put this armor on in the secret place between God and me.

The breastplate of righteousness covers the heart. All sorts of demonic attacks come against the heart. If I do not comprehend the New Testament teaching about the right standing God GAVE to us through Jesus’ death and resurrection, then I will certainly get my heart wounded.

I cannot earn my righteousness in any way. I cannot do anything more to get God to love me than what He does already. He will never be more pleased with me than He is right now, because I am IN CHRIST! He sees Jesus’ righteousness, not mine!

Thank so much, Jesus for giving me Your righteousness in exchange for my sin on the cross!

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